A civil society organisation, Office of the Citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OCFRN) has urged the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to adopt other measures towards pressing its demands.

OCFRN’s convener, Mr Pelumi Olajengbesi, who briefed newsmen on Saturday in Abuja, said incessant strikes by ASUU, was counter-productive.
According to him, the union has recorded lots of strike without achieving its demands; hence the need to seek other alternative means of achieving its demand.

He regretted that successive governments in Nigeria had not been able to meet the international best practices in terms of funding education.

ASUU had on Aug. 14, embarked on an indefinite strike to demand the implementation of the 2009 agreement with the Federal Government on conditions of service, funding, university autonomy and academic freedom.

Olajengbesi said that ASUU violated the law by not giving the Federal Government 14 days’ notice before embarking on the indefinite strike.

“Education is fundamental to the progress of any society; undoubtedly, Nigerian government has not done well in terms of funding education.

“UNESCO recommends the allocation of 26 per cent of national budget to education but we see here is that allocation to education keeps going down year by year.

“We also need to caution ASUU leadership; the union is not complying with section 41 of the 1999 constitution which requires 14 days’ notice before embarking on strike.

“ASUU should seek better ways of pressing its demands to avoid frequent academic disruptions in our citadels of learning,’’ he said.

He commended the Senate for the resolution removing the `force’ in Nigeria Police.

He said that such appellation had contributed to the excesses of the officers and men of the Nigeria Police

According to the legal practitioner said that the concept of OCFRN is the belief that every Nigerian citizen by default and by the constitution occupies a very important office.

He said that the initiative was in pursuit of OCFRN’s mandate as civil rights activists and social crusaders, giving voice and vision to the voice of the genuine emancipation of the Nigerian people.